“The principle of consilience, or the unity of knowledge, infuses this conversation between biologist E. O. Wilson and poet Robert Hass. . . . The eminent duo explore echoes and parallels in their respective fields with eloquent concision, from Wilson’s advice to poets (“Colonize science”) to Hass’s musings on the interplay of selfish gene and social imperative in imagination.”

“The Poetic Species explores the intersection of science and the arts in relation to the staggering environmental crisis the world is encountering. I am encouraged by this call to action by both scientific and literary communities and curious about the possible responses.”

In this shimmering conversation (the outgrowth of an event co-sponsored by the American Museum of Natural History and Poets House), Edward O. Wilson, renowned scientist and proponent of “consilience”—or the unity of knowledge—finds an ardent interlocutor in Robert Hass, whose credo as United States poet laureate was “imagination makes communities.” As they explore the many ways that poetry and science enhance each other, they travel from anthills to ancient Egypt and to the heights and depths of human potential. A testament to how science and the arts can join forces to educate and inspire, this book is also a passionate plea for conservation of all the planet’s species.

World Literature Today Editor’s Pick

Excerpt from The Poetic Species

“Every page offers something worth contemplating . . . The Poetic Species is a fascinating foray into the ways we’re connected to each other and the natural world—highly recommended reading.”

“The Poetic Species explores the intersection of science and the arts in relation to the staggering environmental crisis the world is encountering. I am encouraged by this call to action by both scientific and literary communities and curious about the possible responses.”

“The principle of consilience, or the unity of knowledge, infuses this conversation between biologist E. O. Wilson and poet Robert Hass. . . . The eminent duo explore echoes and parallels in their respective fields with eloquent concision, from Wilson’s advice to poets (“Colonize science”) to Hass’s musings on the interplay of selfish gene and social imperative in imagination.”